Man Up
by singntheshower
Summary: Finn woke up and found a naked woman in his bed. He couldn't remember her name. This wasn't the first time it's happened. A/U College Finchel.


A/N: This story is completely A/U. Finn's a little out of character at first. Just go with it. Reviews are greatly appreciated. And I wrote this quickly, so please ignore any typos! Hope you enjoy this one shot‼

Man Up

Finn groaned as his heavy eyelids opened. His head was throbbing, sporting the telltale signs of a hangover. He squinted over at his alarm clock and saw that it was after five in the morning. He thanked God that classes didn't start until the next day. He was a junior at NYU now, only having two years until he earned his degree so that he could teach music.

If you knew who Finn Hudson was, this choice of major was pretty shocking.

He'd probably do better with a degree in hardcore partying.

As a testament to this, he currently had a girl in his bed; they were both naked under the sheets. She was turned away from him, so he couldn't see her face. But he did remember that she was sexy as hell with a smokin' body.

It was too bad he didn't remember her name. He had only met her for the first time a few hours ago, after all. He smirked while remembering the hot sex they had. She was definitely a good lay.

Just then, he felt her move. He looked over as she rolled so that she was facing him. Her eyes opened slowly. Her big, brown eyes. Damn, she was gorgeous.

"Hey," she murmured with a sleepy smile.

"Hey… you," he said awkwardly.

"How'd you sleep?" she asked, running her hand down his chest.

"Um, okay," he said. It was quiet for a moment. "You should… you should really get going."

Her eyes opened more widely. "_Excuse me_?" she asked, sounding shocked.

"Last night was great, but you should leave now," Finn said, nodding.

"I just… I can't believe you," she said with a growl. She sat up and pulled the sheets tighter around her. Without another word, she got up out of the bed, taking the sheets with her. Finn rolled his eyes but grabbed the comforter, pulling it up around him. "After all of that, you're just kicking me out," she muttered angrily.

"Listen…" he searched his brain for her name. She realized he didn't remember her.

"I'm Rachel! Rachel Berry!" she shouted. She pulled her shirt on and searched for her shoes in the dark, eventually finding them.

"Right… Rachel, you were great. Really," he said.

"Fuck you," she spat. She grabbed her purse and threw it over her shoulder.

"You kind of already did that," Finn replied with a smirk.

"You're a fucking asshole," she said with a glare. Then, she stormed from his dorm room, slamming the door behind her. Finn winced at the pain in his head before rolling back over onto his side. Moments later, he fell asleep without a care in the world.

-glee-glee-glee-

Finn walked into his eleven o'clock class for the first time Monday morning. He was kind of excited for this class, Anatomy and Physiology, since he got the chance to dissect some shit. Yeah, the class was set up weird with eight weeks this semester and eight weeks next semester since the professor had to go to some other college for this seminar thing. But he had to take a science lab and it was either take this class or Physics. There really was no choice.

He walked straight to the back of the room and sat down, like he did in all of his other classes; it was easier to check his phone and Facebook from the back of the room. This was one of his smaller classes, with his schedule saying there were only like 24 people enrolled. After thinking about it, that made sense since there were only 12 lab tables in the room.

He pulled out his notebook and started doodling as the rest of his classmates poured into the room. Ten minutes later, the lights were dimmed. The teacher, an older blonde woman, was standing in the front of the room.

"I'm Dr. Reid. Welcome to Anatomy and Physiology," she said. "I'm going to warn you that this class isn't just going to be fun. It's going to require hard work and studying. We'll have two labs a week with Mondays being days to take notes. You will have four tests, each spanning over five chapters," Finn held in his groan. He wasn't expecting this much _work_.

"You will also be split into lab pairs. We'll have you sit by your partners starting today. Make sure you get to know your partner; you'll be working together this semester and next," Dr. Reid said. Finn rolled his eyes. Sure, it was cool having a lab partner to make sure all the answers were right, but he didn't like being forced to work with people he didn't know. He listened for his name, crossing his fingers that he wasn't stuck with some weirdo.

"Finn Hudson and Rachel Berry at table nine," Dr. Reid called out.

Finn's stomach dropped. Rachel Berry was the chick he screwed Saturday night. He looked up and scanned the room for her, finally spotting her at the front of the room. He saw that she was sitting up as straight as a rod.

This was totally gonna suck.

The professor then told them to move to their lab tables while she pulled up the day's notes.

Finn's heart was pounding as he walked to lab table nine. He sat down and placed his notebook on the table before looking up. He spotted Rachel walking toward him with a look of disdain on her face.

"Um, hi," he said awkwardly as she sat down. Rachel turned her head forward, pretending like he didn't exist.

Well, he kind of deserved that.

He was then distracted by how short her skirt was as she sat in the chair. Her legs were just as incredible as he remembered. He held in a smile as he remembered how they felt wrapped around him not even two nights ago.

The teacher then started the lecture, so Finn forced himself to focus.

-glee-glee-glee-

He told some of his buddies about his predicament during lunch. They all found it hilarious. His friend Puck even asked if Finn minded if he took Rachel for a spin after Finn reminded them of what she looked like. Finn's stomach clenched but he said that he didn't care. It's not like they were dating or anything. But it was kind of gross that Puck wanted to sleep with the same girl that Finn did.

He was both dreading and looking forward to their first lab Wednesday. He kind of wanted to see what they would be dissecting, but he wasn't really looking forward to having to make conversation with a chick that obviously hated his guts.

This whole damn situation was just freaking awkward.

Finn walked into the classroom on Wednesday and saw a huge rat lying in the middle of the lab table on a tray. He wondered where in the hell they got such large rats in the first place. The room smelled kind of weird and he wondered how much worse it would smell as they cut the rats open.

Rachel walked in the room a minute after he sat down, avoiding his gaze like it would give her a disease. She scooted her chair far away from the rat as she sat down with a frown on her face.

"Something wrong?" Finn asked. After he said that, he realized it was kind of a stupid question. But Rachel answered it anyway.

"I'm a vegan and a supporter of animal rights," she said in a clipped voice. "I don't really condone the butchering of animals. Even for learning purposes."

Finn looked at her incredulously. "Then why in the _hell_ would you sign up for the one science class where you have to dissect shit?" he asked.

"Not that it's any of your business, but this is the only science class that I could fit in my schedule. I don't have any room for another next semester or even next year," she explained detachedly. "I have no choice."

Damn. "Sorry. That sucks," he said quietly.

"Well, I'm used to being in unfavorable situations," she said, eyeing him. He understood the meaning behind that and swallowed thickly. He then looked forward, not able to handle her glare for much longer.

They couldn't keep talking like this. They were supposed to be lab partners and work together and stuff. It couldn't be this awkward all the time.

"Listen, Rachel," Finn said in a totally new voice. It almost sounded persuasive. Rachel turned and looked at him guardedly. "I know this sucks and I'm sorry for that. But we… we have to work together, you know? You probably think I'm a total dick, but I don't wanna fail this class. Can we just try to make this work?"

Rachel seemed to be in thought for a few moments. "For the sake of my grade, I will speak to you civilly. But outside of this class, the deal's off," she said.

"I can handle that," Finn said with a small nod. "And since you're uncomfortable with cutting the animals, I'll do it. You can just fill out the worksheets and flip the pages in the book and stuff if you want."

Rachel looked taken aback for a moment. That was actually kind of… _nice_ of him.

"I appreciate that, Finn. Thank you," she said with a tiny smile.

Finn smiled a little in return.

They got an A on their first lab report.

-glee-glee-glee-

Over the next month, Finn and Rachel kind of became friends. He knew about her being a Theater major and wanting to be on Broadway. She was surprised and yet delighted to learn that he wanted to teach music. Their passion for music led to actual decent discussions before and after classes. Finn determined that Rachel was pretty cool even though she was kind of obsessed with doing everything perfectly. They were usually the last ones to leave the classroom on lab days while Rachel triple checked their answers.

But because of their hard work, the two of them were pulling solid As in the class. After getting back each awesome grade, Finn and Rachel shared a high five. Finn thought that she might not even hate him anymore.

She even hugged him back when he tried comforting her after they had to dissect a cat their third week of class.

It was Friday of their fourth week of classes when Rachel walked in the room. Finn instantly noticed that she's paler than usual and looks kind of sick. She doesn't even move her chair away from the cow's eye on the dissecting table, seeming to be distracted by something.

"You okay, Rach?" Finn asked. He said the nickname their second week of classes and Rachel tolerated it, so he continued using it. Instead of speaking, she shook her head no. "Can I do anything?"

"I don't know," she said in a quiet voice.

"Do you feel like you're gonna get sick or something? 'Cause I can do the lab myself if you're sick," he offered.

"It's not like that," she said in a huff. "Can we talk after class? Maybe grab a coffee or something?"

"Yeah, that's fine," Finn said, looking at her in confusion. Did they fail their last lab or something? What could she have to talk to him about?

Rachel was more quiet than usual as they completed their lab on the cow's eyeball. They finished it quickly and were one of the first groups to leave. That never happened before.

He followed her to a small coffee place on campus. It was less crowded than the other ones, which Finn figured Rachel wanted. He was burning with curiosity as they took their seats. He ordered a cup of hot chocolate even though it was still decently warm outside. She actually didn't order anything.

"So what do you wanna talk about?" he asked after an awkward minute of silence.

"I'm pregnant, Finn," she said in a flat voice. "The baby's yours."

The world around him screeched to a halt. His brain went fuzzy. He wasn't sure how long he sat there in a stunned silence.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Rachel nodded. "I just went to the wellness center this morning," she said. "Test came back positive."

"But are you sure it's mine?" he clarified.

Rachel looked offended. "Of course I am! What kind of girl do you think I am?" she asked defiantly.

Finn shrugged. "The kind that slept with a dude she just met. You could do that all the time for all I know," he said darkly. Rachel glared at him.

"That is the first time I've _ever_ done anything like that. And I haven't slept with anyone since!" she said firmly. Finn rolled his eyes. He was trying to act like he didn't care, but on the inside he was freaking the fuck out. How in the world could this have happened? They used protection, right?

Shit. He couldn't remember if they did.

"Like it or not, I'm pregnant with your child, Finn," she said, her voice starting to crack. He looked up and was surprised to see her starting to cry. "But that doesn't matter, I guess. Stay away from me. I'll do this on my own." Rachel stood up quickly, grabbing her bag and slinging the strap over her shoulder before storming from the coffee shop. Finn heard her sob right before the door closed.

Finn dropped his head into his hands.

This couldn't be happening.

He walked back to his dorm in a daze, ignoring his phone beeping. His friends probably wanted to meet up for lunch, but he couldn't eat when he felt like getting sick.

He collapsed onto his bed and stared at the ceiling. This whole thing was his fault. If he wasn't such a damn idiot, this wouldn't have happened.

But no, he had to be some big shot college guy who got wasted and slept with practically any hot chick that offered herself up to him. He couldn't keep doing this. He now had a kid on the way because of his irresponsibility. He had to man up. He was going to be a dad.

His friends invited him out that night and the next night, but he turned them down. The new Finn Hudson didn't party like an idiot. He was responsible and trustworthy. His heart did break when he realized that this would crush his mother. He also felt painfully sick when he realized that Rachel's life was going to be changed forever, too. What was she going to do about Broadway? Were they even keeping the kid? He had to talk to her.

He spent the entire weekend thinking through different scenarios in his head. If she wanted to keep the kid, they could do that. He'd put in more hours at the tire shop where he worked to save up money. If she wanted to put the kid up for adoption, he'd deal with that, too. And he was pretty sure that someone like Rachel would never even think of the word abortion, so that was totally off the table. Either way, he'd let her decide and he'd support her. This was the new Finn, after all.

She completely avoided him Monday before class, just like she had their first class together. He tried begging and pleading for her to talk to him, but her face didn't change at all. He shot worried glances at her throughout the class, barely paying attention to the lecture. But then he realized that the mother of his child was more important than the functions of the endocrine system.

After class, he couldn't take it anymore. She tried squeezing out of the door quickly, but Finn caught her elbow.

"Don't touch me," she hissed, pulling her arm out of his grasp.

"Rachel, I'm trying to do the right thing here and be responsible about this. Can you _please _just talk to me?" he asked desperately.

"Fine," she murmured. They waited until the rest of the class left the room. Finn then closed the door so that people in the hallway couldn't eavesdrop.

Rachel sat in one of the chairs, facing him expectantly.

"First, I'm sorry for the way I acted Friday, acting like you were some kind of whore or something. I know you and that's not you at all," he said.

Rachel looked at him appraisingly. "I accept your apology," she said eventually.

"Awesome," he said with a smirk. "Now, I just want you to know that whatever you want to do with the baby, I'll support your decision."

"Thank you for that," she said softly. "Do you remember when I told you I was adopted and I never knew my mother?" Finn nodded. "I don't want my-or _our_ child growing up like that," she said.

"So you want to keep it?" he asked.

"I think so," she nodded.

Finn took a deep breath. "Okay. We can do this. I mean, I work at a tire shop a few blocks away and they pay me pretty good. I can take more hours and save up money," he said.

"I work at Friday's, so I don't have much money, but tips are good some nights," she said. She smiled at him. "I'm glad to see that you're taking this seriously."

"Well this is serious, you know?" Finn said. "I mean, this is our kid and stuff, so I don't wanna screw anything up." Her eyes brightened as she smiled.

"I think we can do this," she said. "I mean, we have a while until the baby comes. And he or she might not be due until the school year's over, so we'd have the summer to spend with him or her. And then there's on campus daycare for the children of students for when we're in classes and such."

"Sounds like you've thought about this a lot," Finn said with a smile.

"As you said, this is our child. I want to do this right," she said.

"Just know that I've changed, Rach," Finn said firmly. "I'm done with the partying and all that stupid shit. I wanna take care of you and the baby."

Rachel smiled sweetly at him before getting up off the chair. She reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you. From the both of us," she said, placing a hand on her stomach. Finn looked down at her stomach and smiled.

They could do this.

-glee-glee-glee-

The change that everyone saw in Finn from that point forward was shocking. His friends were wondering what the hell happened to him. His stepbrother Kurt asked if he was doing drugs when he called Finn on a Saturday and found him _studying_.

He and Rachel hadn't told anyone about the baby yet, but they both knew that they had to tell their families soon. They weren't dating or anything, but Finn still hadn't been with any other women or even so much as looked at any other women. He felt like doing so would be kind of wrong since he had a kid on the way.

See? He did have some morals.

Rachel was slowly starting to trust him. They were even getting closer to one another; it was typical at this point for him to hang out at her apartment now to do homework or talk about the baby. Some nights, they would just pop in a movie and relax on her couch. Sure, she sometimes rested her feet in his lap and he might have liked to hold her hand on occasion, but they were strictly platonic.

They did have a kid on the way, after all. They're bonded for life.

Finn surprised her by asking if he could go to her next doctor's appointment with her. She hugged him tightly and said that he was more than welcome to come.

So, when she was three months along, he went with her to her ultrasound appointment. You couldn't even really tell that she was pregnant yet, but both she and Finn knew what was growing inside of her. And they were even getting excited about the baby coming.

When they finally saw the baby on the screen, Finn squeezed Rachel's hand tightly. He even felt tears welling up. That was his _kid_, you know. He stared at the screen in wonder as the little baby moved around.

"Can you feel it moving?" Finn asked, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Yeah," Rachel said with a smile. "It feels like butterflies." Finn smiled widely.

The ultrasound technician took a few pictures of the baby before switching the monitor off. When the woman left the room, Finn kissed Rachel on the forehead.

"This is amazing," he said breathlessly.

Rachel giggled. "Yeah, it is," she said. At that point, Rachel knew that _this_ was the real Finn, not the asshole from all those months ago.

-glee-glee-glee-

After the appointment, they decided that they had to tell their parents. Finn walked Rachel to her apartment before returning to his dorm to make the most important phone call of his life.

His mom was a little disappointed that this happened while he was still in school, but Finn explained that he and Rachel had everything planned out perfectly and that they could totally handle this. He went on for ten minutes about their extensive plans, needing his mom to feel reassured.

"Are you at least dating the girl?" Carole asked.

"Not exactly," Finn murmured. Finn wasn't quite sure why they weren't dating. He honestly really liked Rachel. They spent plenty of time together, just listening to music and talking. She even watched football games with him sometimes. She would be awesome girlfriend material.

But things were just… complicated.

By the end of the phone call, Carole started sounding a little excited at the thought of being a grandmother. Finn promised that he'd send a picture of the sonogram as soon as possible.

"You're being a man about this. I'm very proud of you, Finn," Carole said. He could hear the smile in her voice.

"Thanks, mom," he replied, blushing.

Ten minutes after hanging up with his mother, Kurt was calling him, demanding to know every little detail. With a sigh, Finn started from the beginning, feeling embarrassed about his behavior that got him to this point. But he couldn't regret his kid. He told Kurt that at least three times.

The other end of the line was quiet as Kurt absorbed the news.

"So when will you figure out the sex of the baby? I have some shopping to do," Kurt said. Finn breathed a sigh of relief. His family was totally awesome.

Finn heard a knock on the door right as he was about to start his History of Jazz paper. He opened his door and was surprised and worried to see a sobbing Rachel standing there. He ushered her into the room quickly and cleared a spot for her on his messy bed. He pulled her into his arms and she cried into his chest.

"What happened?" Finn asked with concern.

"My dads," she cried, unable to continue.  
"What about them?" Finn asked.

"They said they're disappointed in me and-" she hiccupped. "They want nothing to do with the baby," she cried even harder.

Finn rubbed her back soothingly, murmuring words of reassurance to her. His chest ached for Rachel, knowing how much her dads meant to her. And now they were denying their grandkid? Finn could only imagine how much pain Rachel was in.

She fell asleep on his bed after she was finished crying. She was sprawled out over the whole bed, so there wasn't really much room for him. Plus, he didn't want to make things awkward if she woke up and he was sleeping in the same bed as her.

So, he made a bed out of blankets on the floor. Neither of them had to work that night, but they were both exhausted and slept through the night.

-glee-glee-glee-

When Rachel's four and half months along, Finn finds himself having very strong feelings for her. They know pretty much everything about each other at this point. Rachel even forgives him for the past, harboring no regrets or ill feelings about their night together all of those months ago. That night gave them their baby, after all.

And it's more than the fact that she's carrying his baby. She's also, like, his best friend now. When he's having a hard day and just wants to complain about how stressed he is, she listens and doesn't judge. And she helps him with their Anatomy and Physiology class, which he feels like he studies for _all the time_. She even tries to help with his other work while still doing her own.

They eat lunch together every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after their only class together. Rachel's eating tons of food now, having switched from being a vegan to a vegetarian for the sake of the baby. She even eats peanut butter all the time so she has plenty of protein.

So, Rachel's just awesome in Finn's eyes. Oh, and she has the best voice he's ever heard. Like, ever. She sang for him a while ago and now he asks her to sing all of the time. He loves it when she sings to the baby when they're hanging out on her couch.

When they are spending all of these little moments together, he has the urge to hold her and kiss her and protect her from the world. He hasn't felt this way about anyone since high school. And he's never felt those feelings this strongly before. Ever.

It's scary as hell.

Especially since he has no idea how she really feels about him.

-glee-glee-glee-

Rachel and Finn decided to not know about the sex of the baby. Well, it was Rachel's idea, but Finn went along with it; she insisted that it was kind of poetic for them to now know if the baby was a boy or a girl since the baby itself was so unexpected. Finn laughed at her insanity, which he secretly found to be adorable, but agreed.

By January, she was obviously pregnant and was at the receiving end for whispers and rumors at school. Finn's friends were surprised when he finally told them that the baby was his. From that point on, his buddies called him a lot less about going out and getting wasted. Sadly, Rachel didn't have many friends except for Finn, but she did have a few acquaintances within the theater department that came to accept and support her and her pregnancy.

Rachel then met Finn's family for the first time when she was six months pregnant. She was incredibly nervous at first, but his mother was so kind and welcoming that Rachel instantly felt like she was at home. Carole _adored_ Rachel and was bursting with happiness as they shared pregnancy stories.

Carole was quite proud when she heard that Finn had already been on numerous midnight craving runs for Rachel.

Finn's stepdad, Burt, treated Rachel almost like she was a daughter, much to the surprise of Rachel. She was expecting at least a little apprehension by Finn's family since hers was being so cold and indifferent, but Finn's family was the kindest family unit she'd ever met.

And she was pretty sure that Kurt was the female version of her. Kurt drug Rachel up to his room so they could talk more in depth about different Broadway shows. He even made her sing which he wasn't ashamed to admit had made him shed a few tears.

Finn walked past Kurt's room while Rachel was in there and couldn't help but eavesdrop.

"But what about after you graduate? The baby should be one by then," Kurt said, sounding persuasive.

"I don't want our baby raised mostly by other people, Kurt. My fathers weren't there much at points in my life and I don't want our little guy or girl to ever feel like I did when I was alone. I want them to feel like they're loved and wanted all of the time," she said. Finn imagined that she was rubbing her stomach. She always did that when she talked about the baby.

"But it's your dream," Kurt said, sounding a little bothered.

"Broadway will always be there," Rachel said calmly. At that point, Finn had to walk away.

He had already known how much Broadway meant to Rachel. Hell, she made him watch a bunch of Barbra Streisand movies so many times that Finn was sure that he probably knew all of the words to some of the songs. It just bothered him that her dreams had to be put on the back burner for a while. Someone like Rachel, who he thought was so talented and deserving of happiness, should be able to follow their dreams without nothing holding them back.

Finn takes Rachel into his room later to talk to her about it.

"Is something wrong?" Rachel asked after plopping onto his bed. Her feet didn't touch the ground, which almost made Finn laugh.

"I'm worried about you," he said with a shrug.

"What for?" she asked. "I'm fine."

"I know you are, but… I overheard you and Kurt talking earlier," he admitted.

"You mean you were spying," Rachel said with a glare.

"Well, whatever you wanna call it… But… I just don't want you throwing away your dreams, Rach," Finn said.

"Finn, if you really were listening earlier, you would have heard me," she said patiently. "I'm not throwing away my dreams. Broadway will still be there in a couple of years."

"But it just feels _wrong_, you know?" Finn said in a huff.

"No, it doesn't. Broadway is my later dream. My dream now is to have this baby and raise him or her," she insisted. "With you," she added in a smaller voice.

Finn smiles widely before sitting down on the bed next to her.

"Do you really mean that?" Finn asked.

"Of course I do," Rachel replied with a smile.

Without another word, Finn reached forward and cupped her face before pulling her in for a searing kiss.

Rachel was frozen in shock for a second before she started kissing him back. Her arms went around his neck and started playing with his hair.

All too soon, Finn pulled away.

"What was that?" Rachel asked breathlessly.

"I think I'm in love with you," Finn said in a daze.

Rachel smiled widely. "I didn't think you were capable of loving someone," she replied in a whisper.

"I wasn't. I just hadn't met you yet," Finn said, smirking. Rachel laughed and slapped his chest playfully.

"You're so corny!" she said, the smile not leaving her face. "But just so you know, I love you, too," she added. Finn's smile was blinding. Moments later, they heard Carole calling everyone down for dinner.

They walked downstairs holding hands. Carole and Kurt both smiled at one another widely.

-glee-glee-glee-

Rachel and Finn were officially an item for about a month's time when she hit the seven month mark. Her stomach was continuing to expand and the baby was kicking like crazy. One of Finn's favorite activities for a while had been to rest his hand on Rachel's stomach and feel the baby kick. Now that they were dating, he could lay his hand on her stomach all night during their frequent sleepovers. He even talked to the baby after Rachel fell asleep, introducing himself all the time as "daddy" so that the baby wouldn't forget his voice.

Things were perfect for a while. Then school got even harder.

Finn had three major tests in one day and had been pulling eight hour shifts as often as he could at the tire shop. To say that he was stressed and exhausted would have been an understatement. Plus, there was also the added worry of the fact that the baby's due date was getting closer and closer and Finn freaked out on a normal basis about not being a good enough dad.

It was a Saturday night and Finn had just closed up the tire shop for the night. He was supposed to pick up Rachel around nine thirty from the theater on campus and drive her back to her apartment. She usually walked, but now that she was getting even bigger, it hurt too much to walk long distances. Plus, Finn didn't really like her walking around on her own at night. The campus of NYU could be sketchy at times.

Just as he got back to his dorm room, Finn got a message from one of his buddies reminding him of Puck's birthday party that was that night. Finn groaned and sat down on his bed. He _really_ wanted to go to the party. Puck had been his friend since high school. And Finn hadn't really had too much to drink in a while. He just missed hanging out with his guy friends and relaxing.

He looked at the clock and realized that he didn't have to get Rachel for another hour and a half. That was plenty of time for Finn to make an appearance at Puck's party and maybe have a beer or two.

So that's what he did.

But then had more beers than he anticipated.

And forgot about Rachel.

He wasn't totally tanked yet, but he wasn't exactly sober when he realized that it was eleven o'clock.

"Fuck," he moaned. He checked his pockets and couldn't find his phone. He eventually spotted Puck, who had Finn's phone.

"I think Rachel called," Puck slurred as he handed the phone over.

"What? What did she say?" Finn asked worriedly.

Puck shrugged. "I told her you were chillin' with the guys," he replied in a slur. Instead of exploding at Puck, he held his tongue and shoved his phone into his pocket.

"I gotta go, man," Finn said. "Happy Birthday." Puck smiled and tried to high five Finn, but missed.

Once Finn was outside, he tried calling Rachel, but her phone went to voicemail.

"Baby, I'm sorry," he said into the phone. "I stopped by Puck's and lost track of time. But I'm on my way to your place now. I gotta walk though, but I'll be there." He then hung up and started on the trek to Rachel's.

Fifteen minutes later, he walked up to her door and knocked on it loud enough for her to hear.

"Who is it?" he heard Rachel's muffled voice ask.

"It's me, babe," Finn said. A second passed in silence before the door was pulled open roughly. His smile left his face when he saw the look Rachel was giving him. She was _pissed_.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

"I wanted to see you," he said in a small voice. "I'm sorry for not coming to get you. It's Puck's birthday and I stopped just to have a drink and then I lost track of time…"

"Did you know that I waited for you for _half an hour_ before I had to walk home?" she asked with acid in her voice. "And did you also know that my feet and back are _killing _me because this child, with your DNA, is larger than the average seven month old fetus and it's hard to walk?"

"Babe, I'm so sorry," Finn moaned. "I didn't mean to."

"That doesn't erase the fact that you forgot, Finn," she replied with a glare. "And I thought you were done with the whole party scene. At least that's what you told me."

"I just… I needed a little break, you know? I'm stressing out and stuff, babe. You wouldn't understand," he said with a groan.

"Oh, I wouldn't?" she asked indignantly.

"Shit," he murmured. "I didn't mean that."

"Obviously you did or you wouldn't have said it!" she shouted. "But here's some news for you, Finn, you're not the only one who's suffering here! I am also working as many hours as I possibly can _while_ carrying a child and balancing my classes and homework and my responsibilities at the theater! I'm also the one that has heartburn _all the time_ and can't walk around without wanting to lay down and cry because I'm aching everywhere! And I'm _also_ the one whose parents _refuse_ to speak to her out of simple ignorance! Not to mention the fact that I'm going to have to squeeze something the size of a watermelon out of something the size of an egg!" She was panting at this point. "I think it's safe to say that _you _are the one that doesn't know how _I_ feel, Finn."

Finn was stunned. He had never seen Rachel this pissed off before.

"I'm sorry," was all he could think to say.

"Just go back to Puck's, Finn. I'm tired due to the fact that I was just helping with the spring production of _West Side Story_ that I couldn't be in," she said sadly. "I can't deal with this anymore tonight." She backed into her apartment and promptly shut the door in his face.

"Son of a bitch," Finn said lowly, cursing himself for being such a damn idiot.

He paced outside of Rachel's apartment before deciding that he was too tired to go anywhere else.

So, in a slightly drunken haze, he pulled off his jacket and threw it on the ground. He then lowered himself onto the floor and used his jacket as a pillow.

Minutes later, his snores were filling the hallway.

-glee-glee-glee-

Rachel opened her door to her apartment the next morning and was surprised to see a lump that suspiciously resembled her boyfriend lying on the ground. Rachel grabbed the doorjamb and balanced on one foot, using her other to nudge Finn gently.

"Finn, wake up," she said, jabbing his side with her foot. After a few moments, Finn groaned and rolled so that he was lying on his back. He opened his eyes slowly.

"Wus goin' on?" he murmured before stretching.

"You're sleeping on the floor outside of my apartment, Finn. You're going to freak out my neighbors," she said patiently. Once he was done stretching, the things that happened last night came rushing back to him.

He jumped to his feet, stumbling a little, before turning to face Rachel.

"Baby, I'm _so_ sorry," he said firmly, reaching out to grab her hands. "I don't know what else I can say besides that."

"Come inside and shower. You still smell like beer," Rachel said. She pulled her hands out of his and walked back into her apartment. With a sigh, Finn followed her inside.

After he showered and changed into some of the clothes that he had at Rachel's place, he joined her in the living room. He sat on the couch right next to her, their thighs touching. The television was on, but Finn knew that she wasn't paying attention to it. He reached out and rubbed her stomach as he usually did.

"How are you feeling today?" he asked.

"Tired. I had to walk a lot last night," she said in a clipped voice. Finn closed his eyes but continued rubbing her stomach.

"I'm sorry," he said firmly.

"It's not even the fact that you forgot about me, Finn," Rachel said in a small voice. "You're always saying that you're tired and stressed… it just makes me feel like you're not happy that this is how things are. Almost like you're not happy about having the baby or being with me."

"Rachel, that's not it at all," he said quickly. He reached out and grabbed her cheek, turning her head so that he had to look at her. "No matter how much I complain, this baby and being with you are the best things that have ever happened to me."

Rachel scrutinized his expression. "Do you really mean that?" she asked.

"Yes," he said firmly. Rachel was quiet for a moment before she smiled.  
"I believe you," she said. "And I'm sorry about my complaints last night. I'm _so_ happy about the baby, I swear. It's just… I just kind of exploded, you know?"

"I know," Finn chuckled. He then leaned forward and kissed her gently.

They spent the rest of the day together. Finn even walked and got Rachel food from her favorite vegetarian restaurant on campus. Then, he rubbed her tired feet as an apology.

-glee-glee-glee-

When Rachel's eight months along, and they've been dating for almost two months, Finn decides that they should move in together to make things easier. Not only do they already spend all of their free time together, but the baby can come at any time now and living together would help them both to be there for the baby.

Rachel enthusiastically helps him unpack his things into her apartment. She shows him how to color coordinate his half of the closet and even alphabetizes the DVDs that he brought from his dorm room. They do end up arguing a little over the decorations of the place with Finn persuading her to take down some of the posters of kittens that she has on the walls. The stuffed animals that are set up nicely on the couch are moved to their bedroom after Finn told her that they can't have guests over with stuffed bunnies and bears all over the place.

Finn was now ecstatic that he could spend every night holding Rachel. During the night, his hand never left her stomach as he felt their baby move around.

Rachel and Finn finished assembling a white crib on a Sunday afternoon. They didn't have a baby shower, but Carole, Burt, and Kurt surprised them with gifts for the baby, including the crib and a stroller.

They agreed on the baby having yellow sheets. Rachel insisted that yellow was a gender neutral color, but Finn couldn't help but think that yellow was a little girly. Despite his thoughts, he let her have her way. They were just sheets, after all.

Finn pushed the crib in to the corner of the room next to the matching dresser. Boxes of diapers, wipes and piles of tons of other baby things were around the room. Of course, it was all organized because of Rachel.

Rachel stood there, smiling and holding a stuffed monkey that Kurt had gotten for the baby. Her other hand was rubbing her stomach in circles as she looked at the crib.

Finn was across the room, watching her smile at the baby things.

"I love you," Finn said out loud. Rachel turned to him in surprise. They hadn't shared those three words with each other yet.

Her smile was blinding. "I-well, _we_ love you, too," she said, rubbing her stomach. Finn took a few steps toward her and pulled her in for a searing kiss.

-glee-glee-glee-

Rachel was due any day now and Finn really wanted her to stay off of her feet. However, it was Finals Week, so telling Rachel Berry to stay at home was kind of a losing battle. Their final exam for Anatomy and Physiology consisted of a multiple choice test and a lab. They got to dissect the animal of their choice, which Finn was pretty excited about.

Rachel waddled to her seat as Finn rushed to the front to grab the baby shark that he wanted to cut open. Rachel opened her lab book to the page that they needed and waited for Finn.

"That smells terrible," Rachel moaned as Finn set the stinky shark on the dissecting board.

"Well, it's a fish," Finn said with a shrug. "But this is gonna be so awesome." Rachel laughed at his childlike enthusiasm as he took a picture of the shark with his cell phone before they started the dissection.

"Wait until the baby learns that mommy and daddy got to cut open a shark," Finn said excitedly. Rachel smiled widely.

Half an hour later, after the diagram had been filled out and the questions had been answered, Finn handed in their papers. They were officially done with the semester! As always, they were the last group there. The professor was in the adjacent room, so they were alone.

He returned to their lab table to help clean up their materials. Rachel was standing there with her hand on her stomach, breathing deeply.

"You okay, babe?" Finn asked as he threw the scalpels and other cutting instruments into the sink.

"Finn… my w-water just b-broke," she stuttered. Finn whipped his head toward her in alarm. He then looked down and saw the puddle of clear fluid under her. He looked back up to her with panic clear in his expression.

As he watched, unable to speak, her face scrunched up in pain as she let out a strangled scream. He pulled his gloves off and rushed to her side.

"What do I do?" he asked in a rushed voice.

"Calling an ambulance would be great," she panted as she doubled over in pain.

"Okay… just-just sit down over here, okay?" he said. He gripped Rachel's hand and led her to a low chair in the corner of the room. He crouched down by her side. "Just breathe, baby," he said soothingly. Rachel closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing.

Finn pulled his phone out and dialed the campus police, explaining that his girlfriend was in labor. He had to tell them what room they were in and he was thankful that they were on the first floor of the building.

"They'll be here any minute," Finn said with a smile. "Are you ready for this?"

"I don't really have a choice," she laughed humorlessly. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah," he said confidently. "I think I am."

-glee-glee-glee-

The next seventeen hours were the longest of Finn's life.

But at the end of it all, he had a son. A son! It was a boy. Finn couldn't be happier; it would be impossible to find someone as happy as him on the entire planet.

His son was a whopping nine pounds and seven ounces and twenty two inches long. Finn apologized repeatedly for being so huge and making Rachel have to squeeze out such a big baby.

"You were amazing," Finn said from the chair next to the hospital bed. Rachel was lying on her side with their son next to her. He was sleeping peacefully. His little fist was wrapped around Rachel's finger. She rubbed the back of his fist with her thumb.

"You were amazing as well," she said quietly. "I mean, the things I shouted at you weren't very kind and you're still here, looking at me like you still adore me."

Finn laughed quietly. "You were giving birth, Rachel. I understand," he said. "And I still love you. Now more than ever."

"I love you, too," she said with a serene smile.

"You know, we still haven't picked a name out," he said, smiling down at his son. He had a head full of brown hair. His skin was a bit darker than his, more like Rachel's naturally tan skin. Rachel cried in happiness when she realized that the baby had Finn's nose. And when he cried, they could see his Finn-like dimples. He was perfect.

"Christopher," she said, looking from the baby to Finn. "I think he looks like a Christopher. After your dad, you know."

Finn's smile was wide. He leaned forward and kissed her firmly before planting a smaller, lighter kiss on his son's forehead.

"It's perfect," he said. "What about a middle name?"

"You pick," Rachel said with a small smile.

Finn sat in thought for a few moments. "James," he said once the name popped into his head.

"Christopher James Hudson," Rachel said softly. "It sounds just right."

"You know what other name I like?" Finn said.

"What?" Rachel asked in confusion.

"Rachel Barbra Hudson," he said with a smile. Rachel giggled.

"That does sound pretty great," she agreed. "We'll just have to change my name to that one day, won't we?"

"Totally," Finn replied with a smirk.

THE END

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed this little one-shot! Reviews are still (and always will be) welcome :) Keep an eye out for more stories from yours truly‼


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